ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION (IMPACT OF PROPOSALS) ACT 1974 No. 164 of 1974 - SECT 11 Inquiries by Commissioners

ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION (IMPACT OF PROPOSALS) ACT 1974 No. 164 of 1974 - SECT 11

11. (1) For the purposes of procedures approved under this Act or for
achieving the object of this Act, the Minister may direct that an inquiry be
conducted in respect of all or any of the environmental aspects of a matter
referred to in any of the paragraphs of section 5, whether or not an
environmental impact statement has, in accordance with procedures under this
Act, been furnished to the Minister.

(2) The Minister shall appoint a Commissioner or Commissioners to be a
Commission to conduct an inquiry under this section and may appoint a person
or persons to advise the Commission.

(3) Where there is more than one Commissioner, the Minister shall appoint one
of the Commissioners to preside at the inquiry.

(4) The Commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the
Minister and shall, after so reporting but subject to sub-section (5), make
public those findings and recommendations.

(5) The Commission shall not make public any evidence or matters in respect of
which directions have been given under paragraph 14 (2) (b) or matters the
publication of which is excepted from sub-section 14 (5).

(6) Subject to sub-section (1), a Commission is not subject to directions by
the Minister, or otherwise by or on behalf of the Australian Government, in or
in relation to the conduct of an inquiry.